Gentler Ways of Change

August 17, 2021

             The daily theft of decency.  The terror of when and where the violence will resume.  The crushing disappointment of knowing their government traded women’s lives like ransom so they themselves could escape Afghanistan in safety.
             The suffering of others is supposed to break our hearts, even if our own lives are safe and sound.  It’s the nature of being human, for worse but also better.  If we aren’t paralyzed by it, the heartbreak will drive us to do justice in whatever ways we can.  While prayer is no small thing, besides it I couldn’t think of a single thing to do by way of justice for Afghanistan until I saw this painting by Afghan graffiti artist Shamsia Hassani.  It’s titled Nightmare. 

             A friend posted it on social media and it sent me looking for information about her.  She’s here, at shamsiahassani.net.  Ms. Hassani is the first female graffiti artist from Afghanistan, and she’s the Afghanistan that could be, if those who would rule Afghanistan ever recover the human soul and backbone original to the design of the Creator. 
             Beyond praying, two things I can do by way of justice are:
1.)  Buy a Hassani print.  They are available on her website and they are beautiful.  Purchase allows her to live out her livelihood and keep doing art!
2.)  Tell the truth using my own toolkit — words.  It’s obvious from Hassani’s work that she is wise to the world around her, the money and the international politics at work in her country, the collusion of more than a certain sect to oppress her and her people.  She and others like her are organizing.  Continuing to use the poor and powerless of the world like pawns in order for rich and powerful countries and people to stay rich and powerful is an unsustainable system for maintaining dominion.  The human heart shouldn’t stand for it, but rest assured the human belly will not.  Governments the world over are perfectly willing to starve some bellies while stuffing others.
             Art and prayer are sometimes gentler ways of turning heads and changing hearts.  The faith we claim should sensitize us to both, to recognize the desire for the peace that feeds and protects every life, that pushes back hard against violence and terror, and the fear that drives all hate.  Jesus’ love for everyone teaches us to love each other in return — but doesn’t require us to tolerate violence toward our weakest neighbors.  There we are allowed to intervene, with resistance, with peace, with truth and with the hope that loving our enemies gives them just a glimmer of a change of heart.  If not, then at least we’ve lived true to the calling of Jesus, and that is no small thing.

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